Advani slams Cong for distorted thinking on J&K

New Delhi, Jan 30 (Agencies): Accusing the Congress of "distorted thinking" on Jammu and Kashmir, LK Advani on Sunday said it was a shame that two top political leaders of the country had to observe the Republic Day in the custody of a state government.

In a post on his blog, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said the movement for Jammu and Kashmir's complete integration with India by Shyama Prasad Mukerjee saved the country from possible "disastrous consequences" of the policies of then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

"The gross mishandling by the government of the BJP's Tiranga yatra reveals that the Congress party has still not abandoned the distorted thinking about J&K which made the government commit those early follies," Advani wrote.

"By undertaking this exercise now, the BJP has done a signal service to the cause of the country's unity and integrity, for which the party's founder sacrificed his life," he added.

Pakistan's leadership mishandled the eastern wing of Pakistan resulting in an independent Bangladesh, Advani said. "Pandit Nehru's handling of J&K state - his reference to UN the issue of Pakistan's aggression on the state, and his conceding a separate constitution and a separate flag to the state - could have had similar disastrous consequences," he said in his blog.

"The week just gone by saw the nation observing its Republic Day festivities. But it is a shame that in this largest republican country of the world, two topmost political leaders of the country, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, leaders of the opposition respectively in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, should have had to observe Republic Day in the custody of the Jammu and Kashmir state government. Their offence? They were keen to see the national tricolour hoisted in Srinagar in an area dominated by separatists," Advani said.

The two leaders were scheduled to address a public rally in Jammu on the eve of Republic Day in support of the BJP youth wing's resolve to hoist the tricolour in Lal Chowk, "an area in Srinagar where the separatists challengingly flaunt the Pakistani flag - they did it recently on Eid Day!"